Sarah Berlinger and Eric McShane awarded Honorable Mentions
Each year, a deserving undergraduate student from a college or university in Northern California is acknowledged through the ECS San Francisco Section’s Daniel Cubicciotti Student Award. Established in 1994, the award honors distinguished researcher Daniel Cubicciotti and assists a praiseworthy student to pursue a career in the physical sciences or engineering. First prize recipients receive a plaque and US $2,000 prize. In addition, up to two students receive Honorable Mentions consisting of framed certificates and US $500 prizes.
Iwnetim Iwnetu Abate
Winner
2021 ECS San Francisco Section Daniel Cubicciotti Student Award
Iwnetim (Tim) Abate is a DARE (Diversifying Academia, Recruiting Excellence) Doctoral Fellow in Materials Science & Engineering at Stanford University, U.S. Working with Profs. William Chueh and Thomas Devereaux, his research aims at improving the energy capacity of batteries to meet the ever-growing global demand for energy storage. Abate’s work combines X-ray and electrochemical characterization with quantum mechanical simulations to design next generation lithium and sodium ion batteries. Previously, he worked at IBM Almaden and Los Alamos National Laboratory researching metal-air batteries and hybrid photovoltaics, respectively. Abate is co-founder and president of SCIFRO Inc., a non-profit organization empowering African youth to solve local energy and medical problems through scientific research and innovation. In the fall of 2021, he will serve as Miller and Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley.
Sarah Berlinger
Honorable mention
Sarah A. Berlinger is a fifth year PhD candidate and NSF Graduate Research Fellow in the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, U.S. Prof. Bryan D. McCloskey and Dr. Adam Z. Weber (Lawrence Berkeley National Lab) are her co-advisors. Berlinger’s research focuses on understanding multi-component interactions between catalyst particles, polymers, and solvents in fuel-cell electrode precursor inks, and how these forces drive electrode microstructure formation. She completed a BS in Chemical Engineering at Columbia University, U.S., researching, under the direction of Prof. Alan C. West, battery charging protocols for capacity recovery and bioelectrochemical fuel production pathways. Passionate about mentorship and outreach, Berlinger mentored five undergraduate researchers and volunteers with Bay Area Scientists in Schools (BASIS).
Eric McShane
Honorable mention
Eric McShane is a fifth year PhD candidate and NSF Graduate Research Fellow in the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, U.S. In the McCloskey Lab, he researches the kinetic, transport, and degradation phenomena underpinning lithium ion battery operation during fast charge. McShane completed a BS in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Cornell University, U.S., in 2016, working as an undergraduate researcher in Prof. Tobias Hanrath’s lab. He received an Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award in 2017. McShane developed a second grade science lesson for Bay Area Scientists in Schools (BASIS). For the Mount Tamalpais College Prison University Project, he created and taught “Statistics of Vaccinations and Herd Immunity” remotely to incarcerated students at San Quentin State Prison.
ECS Honors & Awards Program
ECS distinguishes outstanding technical achievements in electrochemical, solid state science and technology, and recognizes exceptional service to the Society through the Honors & Awards Program. Recognition opportunities exist in the following categories: Society Awards, Division Awards, Student Awards, and Section Awards. For more information about the ECS Honors & Awards Program, e-mail awards@electrochem.org.
